At last, my very own stack of copies of my very first book, Teach Yourself Visually Hand-Dyeing (Wiley Publishing) has arrived.
When I last saw my book last winter it was in its final editorial stage, a fat sheath of black and white copies held together by a giant clip, scribbled all over with the red ink of my last round of revisions. It was really exciting when the UPS man arrived (like the stork), delivering my very first copies to me. And on Monday I'll have a stash of copies hot off the press to share at upcoming events (scroll down for complete list).
To celebrate the happy occasion of my book's release I'm holding a special contest. Post a comment describing a color (or colors) that represent a joyous occasion in your life (and share a little about the event too if you like). On Monday, May 11, I will draw a name from the color commenters to win a special prize:
– a signed copy of my book and 2 skeins of Foxfire Wool Alpaca Twist yarn (enough for a pair of socks)
dyed in your special color!
I will notify lucky winner by email.
Let me tell you a little bit about my book:
I love working with color – no surprise to anyone who's ever stepped into my studio or visited my booth at at fiber festival. Taking on this project was an enabling adventure – a wonderful excuse to immerse myself fully in color study (& play!) and to explore and write about a craft I love.
My goal was to create a user-friendly resource for new dyers while giving new avenues for experienced dyers to explore. Since I am largely self taught, I thought back to the things I most wanted to know when I was getting started. I'm very much a visual/experiential learner (and formerly a teacher), so Wiley's Teach Yourself Visually series made great sense as a vehicle for teaching dyeing. My book presents a compendium of techniques on a wide range of fiber materials so there's something for knitters, spinners, weavers and felters. There's also lots of ideas for color sampling and for making use of leftover dyes (like dyeing sock blanks or pretty silk scarves to match your yarns).
When I am not production dyeing, I love experimenting with color blends and alternative dye applications. It's truly fascinating to see how using the same colors in different techniques can totally change the outcome, or how different types of fibers can yield very different results. I had lots of fun writing the exercises for overdyeing and free-style dyeing which suggest ways to tweak basic methods. Many of the things I've learned over the years has come from unintended, yet beautiful results. That's the fun of dyeing.
With all the gorgeous hand-dyed fibers out there from rafts of talented indie dyers, why bother to dye your own? Hand dyeing puts your own personal style and imprint on a project. That's the mark of true craftsmanship. I hope my book will inspire you to experiment, play and find your own color style.
Please share your results after trying the methods in the book. On the Ravelry group Foxfire Fiber Friends, I've started a thread: "Share your Dye Project". I encourage you to post photos and share information about your projects from methods in my book.
If you'd like to get started, here's where you can find me to get a copy:
– May 9 & 10 – New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival – I'll be signing copies in my booth all weekend, located in building 17 (the Cressey Building).
– May 16 – Webs Tent Sale & Fleece Market – Webs is hosting me for a book signing! and also hosting a number of western Massachusetts shepherds for their annual fleece market. It also happens to be the weekend for their super tent sale – not to be missed.
– May 23 & 24 – Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Festival – Look for my booth, located in the stalls near the food vendors. I'll have copies on hand.
If you can't make it to one of the shows, you can email me barbATfoxfirefiberDOTcom.
Thanks to everyone who has emailed me with positive feedback. I'm happy to share this project at last! Don't forget to enter the contest.
